Urbanization enhances body condition, but not innate immune defences, in a common waterbird.

There is a growing body of evidence that urbanization can affect body condition and immune function in wild birds, although these effects may be complex and taxa-specific. Here, we assessed the effects of urbanization on body condition (size-corrected body mass and haemoglobin concentration) and innate immune defences (haemolysis-haemagglutination assay, haptoglobin concentration and bacterial killing assay) in 136 Eurasian coots () from three urban and three non-urban populations across Poland. We also quantified the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio to control for the potential effect of physiological stress on immune defences.

Medication Dosing for Children With Overweight and Obesity.

Approximately 14.7 million US children aged 2 to 19 years are obese. This creates significant challenges to dosing medications that are primarily weight based (mg/kg) and in predicting pharmacokinetics parameters in pediatric patients.

Constitutive innate immune defenses in relation to urbanization and population density in an urban bird, the feral pigeon Columba livia domestica.

Urbanization processes modulate the immunological challenges faced by animals. Urban habitat transformations reshape pathogen diversity and abundance, while high population density-common in urban exploiter species-promotes disease transmission. Responses to urbanization may include adaptive adjustments of constitutive innate immune defenses (e.

Obesity management in the pediatric patient.

Disclaimer: In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time.

Venous thromboembolism, chronic liver disease and anticoagulant choice: effectiveness and safety of direct oral anticoagulants versus warfarin.

Background: Little to no data exist to guide treatment decision in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) and chronic liver disease.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs)-individually and as a class-vs warfarin and between 2 DOACs in patients with acute VTE and chronic liver disease.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective, US claims-based, propensity score-matched cohort study in adults with acute VTE and chronic liver disease who had newly initiated oral anticoagulants between 2011 and 2017.

Evolutionary trade-off between innate and acquired immune defences in birds.

Background: The development, maintenance, and use of immune defences are costly. Therefore, animals face trade-offs in terms of resource allocation within their immune system and between their immune system and other physiological processes. To maximize fitness, evolution may favour investment in one immunological defence or subsystem over another in a way that matches a species broader life history strategy.

Impacts of MicroRNA-483 on Human Diseases.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by targeting specific messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in distinct cell types. This review provides a com-prehensive overview of the current understanding regarding the involvement of miR-483-5p and miR-483-3p in various physiological and pathological processes. Downregulation of miR-483-5p has been linked to numerous diseases, including type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, diabetic nephropathy, and neurological injury.

Climate change, host plant availability, and irrigation shape future region-specific distributions of the Sitobion grain aphid complex.

Background: Understanding where species occur using species distribution models has become fundamental to ecology. Although much attention has been paid to invasive species, questions about climate change related range shifts of widespread insect pests remain unanswered. Here, we incorporated bioclimatic factors and host plant availability into CLIMEX models to predict distributions under future climate scenarios of major cereal pests of the Sitobion grain aphid complex (Sitobion avenae, S.

Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants and Warfarin in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Chronic Liver Disease: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background: The benefit-risk profile of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) compared with warfarin, and between DOACs in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic liver disease is unclear.

Methods: We conducted a new-user, retrospective cohort study of patients with AF and chronic liver disease who were enrolled in a large, US-based administrative database between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2017. We assessed the effectiveness and safety of DOACs (as a class and individually) compared with warfarin, and between DOACs in patients with AF and chronic liver disease.

A cellular taxonomy of the adult human spinal cord.

The mammalian spinal cord functions as a community of cell types for sensory processing, autonomic control, and movement. While animal models have advanced our understanding of spinal cellular diversity, characterizing human biology directly is important to uncover specialized features of basic function and human pathology. Here, we present a cellular taxonomy of the adult human spinal cord using single-nucleus RNA sequencing with spatial transcriptomics and antibody validation.

Gut microbiota of homing pigeons shows summer-winter variation under constant diet indicating a substantial effect of temperature.

Background: Gut microbiotas play a pivotal role in host physiology and behaviour, and may affect host life-history traits such as seasonal variation in host phenotypic state. Generally, seasonal gut microbiota variation is attributed to seasonal diet variation. However, seasonal temperature and day length variation may also drive gut microbiota variation.

Ten ways to make the most of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week.

One fundamental strategy to address the public health threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is improved awareness among the public, prescribers, and policy makers with the aim of engaging these groups to act. World Antimicrobial Awareness Week is an opportunity for concerted and consistent communication regarding practical strategies to prevent and mitigate AMR. We highlight 10 ways for antimicrobial stewards to make the most of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week.

The neurons that restore walking after paralysis.

A spinal cord injury interrupts pathways from the brain and brainstem that project to the lumbar spinal cord, leading to paralysis. Here we show that spatiotemporal epidural electrical stimulation (EES) of the lumbar spinal cord applied during neurorehabilitation (EES) restored walking in nine individuals with chronic spinal cord injury. This recovery involved a reduction in neuronal activity in the lumbar spinal cord of humans during walking.

Single cell atlas of spinal cord injury in mice reveals a pro-regenerative signature in spinocerebellar neurons.

After spinal cord injury, tissue distal to the lesion contains undamaged cells that could support or augment recovery. Targeting these cells requires a clearer understanding of their injury responses and capacity for repair. Here, we use single nucleus RNA sequencing to profile how each cell type in the lumbar spinal cord changes after a thoracic injury in mice.

The microbial environment modulates non-genetic maternal effects on egg immunity.

Background: In a diverse microbial world immune function of animals is essential. Diverse microbial environments may contribute to extensive variation in immunological phenotypes of vertebrates, among and within species and individuals. As maternal effects benefit offspring development and survival, whether females use cues about their microbial environment to prime offspring immune function is unclear.

Transgenic overexpression of microRNA-30d in pancreatic beta-cells progressively regulates beta-cell function and identity.

Abnormal microRNA functions are closely associated with pancreatic β-cell loss and dysfunction in type 2 diabetes. Dysregulation of miR-30d has been reported in the individuals with diabetes. To study how miR-30d affects pancreatic β-cell functions, we generated two transgenic mouse lines that specifically overexpressed miR-30d in β-cells at distinct low and high levels.

Digest: Great tits and their ticks: Life-history traits affect tick fitness.

Ectoparasites such as ticks face many challenges to reproduce. They must maximize the size of their blood meal while avoiding being removed by their host. In a new study, Fracasso and colleagues followed the fate of individual ticks to determine which life-history traits impact tick fitness.

Expedited partner therapy: Investigating pharmacists' awareness and training needs in the Northeastern United States.

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States are at an all-time high. Expedited partner therapy (EPT) has been endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent reinfection of patients and their partners. Although this practice is permissible in 46 states, including all of New England and New York, it is underutilized by prescribers and pharmacists.

Advances in the Management of Sickle Cell Disease: New Concepts and Future Horizons.

Sickle cell disease is a chronic and life-limiting disorder. Approximately 100,000 Americans are affected with sickle cell disease with most being African Americans. Newborn screening for sickle cell is available in the United States, leading to early detection and management of the disease beginning in infancy.